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Covering hate

Bellingham Herald journalists would like to hear from you if you have been the victim of or witnessed a hate crime or experienced hate speech. We’d also like to know if you have information about hate groups operating in Whatcom County.

Patriot Front has been active in Washington state, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

It formed as “rebranded” offshoot of Vanguard America after the deadly 2017 white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Virginia, the Anti-Defamation League said.

Miri Cypers, executive director of the Anti-Defamation League’s Pacific Northwest region in Seattle, said racist organizations like Patriot Front often use coded or subdued language when they start to organize in a new area.

Wolff said that although the language in the Patriot Front poster wasn’t overtly racist, the group’s motives were clear.

“We fought a whole world war to end this stuff. It’s disturbing,” he said.

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Robert Mittendorf covers civic issues, weather, traffic and how people are coping with the high cost of housing for The Bellingham Herald. A journalist since 1984, he’s also a volunteer firefighter for South Whatcom Fire Authority.